ADB Country Director: Consider me a supporter

October 25, 2011

I'll do what I can do to support MI more. Consider me a supporter, said Mr. Craig Steffensen (Country Director of Asian Development Bank (ADB) Thailand) during his productive visit at the Mekong Institute (MI) last Friday, October 21, 2011. Mr. Craig Steffensen, accompanied by Dr. Rattanatay Luanglatbandith, (Regional Cooperation Economist, ADB) visited the Mekong Institute for a courtesy call and stayed the afternoon for a discussion on current activities at MI, highlighting joint projects with ADB. Everywhere I go, I meet alumni from the Mekong Institute, and I only hear good things about you, expressed Mr. Steffensen in his introduction. I've followed MI through the years and the thematic areas that you now have show how much youve grown. The last time he had been to the Mekong Institute was in 1998, when the organization was merely two years old. During a presentation on trade and investment issues, Mr. Steffensen added that if there's anything ADB can do to help, especially with information on the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) and related projects, they would be pleased to share their findings. He also said that there should be more talks about the linkages along these corridors, because trade does not stop where the corridors end. After MI, Mr. Steffensen, Dr. Luanglatbandith and Dr. Suchat Katima (Director of MI) paid a visit to MIs Council Member and President of Khon Kaen University, Dr. Kittichai Triratanasirichai.